The Western New Mexico University Police Academy is sponsoring a seven-hour seminar on Digital Forensics that is free and open to the public. The seminar runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14 and will repeat on May 15. Both sessions will be held in the Student Memorial Center Meeting Room.

The seminar is “hands-on” as each student will be using a laptop computer during the presentation to learn topics such as how to crack passwords, “man in the middle” attacks, onion routing, steganography, and network traffic analysis. Register for one of the 20 seats available by contacting the WNMU Police Academy Director, Gilbert Najar, at 538-6266 or najarg@wnmu.edu.

Western New Mexico University and Mississippi State University are collaborating on a National Science Foundation grant that provides funding to establish certificate programs in digital forensics and to provide training in the field to police officers and the general public throughout the state.

The seminar will be conducted by Dr. Drew Hamilton, Associate Vice-President of Research at Mississippi State University and a Professor of Computer Science and Engineering. Dr. Hamilton previously served as director of Auburn University’s Cyber Research Center and Director of Auburn’s Information Assurance Center. A graduate of Silver High, he is the son of Lieutenant Colonel John Hamilton, USMC (ret.) and State Representative Dianne Hamilton.